Description

Geology, rooted in the Greek words for 'earth' and 'study,' stands as a natural science branch dedicated to Earth and celestial bodies, investigating their rock composition and evolutionary processes. This field intersects with Earth sciences like hydrology and integrates into Earth and planetary science. Geology unravels the intricacies of Earth's structure, both on the surface and beneath, and the dynamic processes shaping them. By scrutinizing rock mineralogy, geologists unveil the history of their formation, determining relative and absolute ages through geochemistry. Using petrological, crystallographic, and paleontological tools, geologists chronicle Earth's geological past, providing evidence for plate tectonics, life's evolution, and historical climates. Exploring properties and processes across planets, geologists employ diverse methods, including fieldwork, rock analysis, geophysics, chemistry, experiments, and modeling, to comprehend Earth's evolution. Practically, geology plays a crucial role in resource exploration, water assessment, hazard evaluation, environmental remediation, and offers insights into historical climate change. As a major academic discipline, it holds significance in geological and geotechnical engineering.